


Great Men Create Their Own Destiny

by Bronathan_Stribert



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Chapter 2 is when the archive warnings really kick in, Don't worry, Extreme BDSM, Haremstuck, Homestuck AU, It's Mostly plot stuff, Multi, Regicide, the johndave, wow shit that's a lot of characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-10
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 19:40:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/588941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bronathan_Stribert/pseuds/Bronathan_Stribert
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fic of mine that initially started as a roleplay between me and the co-author here: http://octobersnight.tumblr.com/. Set in a fantasy-style Middle Eastern country which is ruled over by the Psiioniic. The Psiioniic hoardes young slaves and bends them to his will. One of these young slaves is done with catering to him but needs a little push out the door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The New Slave

John stood by the front gate of the palace nervously, his golden hammer hanging loosely at his side. He always hated being shunted from master to master, partially because he didn’t consider himself a very good entertainer in the first place. Here in the Captor’s Empire, options were limited though and he didn’t particularly feel up to being a part of the sultans guard. His clothes caught in the breeze, fluttering bright blue blue and yellow robes against his milk pale skin. He was told that his skin was what drew the Sultan’s eye to him. Like that made a difference. All he knew was that he was a slave in this foreign kingdom until the Sultan grew tired of him, which would probably be never.  
He sighed but straightened up when he heard footsteps walking up to him. He didn’t dare turn. It could have been the sultan himself. He had learned early on never to look at the sultan without direct orders to do so. He had the scars to prove it. He stood rigid and still, waiting for the stranger to approach him.  
Dave yawned, having been stuck greeting the newcomers from the start he was beginning to tire of it. He hated the ones that cried. If you could pick any job when you were a slave for life, he’d choose rubbing the sultan’s feet over digging wells any day. He combed a hand through his hair, his lean body stretching beneath his soft red tunic. He put on his usual smug smile, hoping to intimidate the newcomer. Dave was informed that the newcomer was approaching by Rose, the book-keeper and official scribe to the Sultan. He had briskly acknowledged her and walked down the decadent stairs in the entryway of the palace. Upon seeing the pale, thin boy staring up at him, light clothes billowing around his body, he thought to himself that he wouldn’t last the week. “Come with me.” He said, turning and walking back up the decadent marble stairs. He didn’t look behind, confident in the boy to at least follow when directed. 

He looked up at the sumptuously dressed blond boy addressing him and followed absentmindedly. He hated having to live in this new place so far away from his real home. Looking around his new accommodations, he couldn’t help but feel disgusted with how lavish his surroundings were. He scrunched up his face and directed his attention to the ground, keeping silent and holding his golden hammer close. It was a family heirloom that had been passed down for generations, one that he had only just managed to keep hold of from his past companions. It was cold and powerful in his hand, but he was too weak to fight with it. He was supposed to have begun his training with it the day he had been captured so he had no real experience outside of some experimental swinging. Though, if the need arose, he was sure he could fend off anything unwanted.  
“You scared?” Dave asked, making eye contact for the first time, his face a smug mask. He gestures to a small side corridor. “This is where you’ll put your stuff. Each of the sultan’s slaves has a shelf. Pick one then meet me back outside as quickly as you can.” He said, crossing his arms, realizing that the boy was around his age and rolling his eyes in disgust, hating this place as much as he had the first day he came here. He remembered how big and magnificent it seemed before. Now it just seemed lavish and hedonistic. He set his jaw and tapped his foot, waiting for the boy with brilliant blue eyes to come back.  
He assumed that the Sultan had chosen this slave for his skin. The emperor was very fond of pale skin. It was the same reason he had been chosen. The same reason his brother was culled brutally- No. He couldn’t afford to think of that right now. He bit his lip and took a deep breath. Maintaining his status was the most important thing. A thing he had worked on far too long to throw it away.  
John simply nodded; walking slowly into the room and placing the clothes he had been given on one of the shelves. He hoped that he wouldn’t have to see his new ‘master’ today. Just by the look on the blond boy’s face he knew his chances of that were slim to none. He remained quiet though, not wishing to give the boy any illusions of complacency. As he was walking back to the boy, his golden anklets softly jingled around his legs. That was another thing that bothered him about being a slave, those fucking anklets. They were marking him, telling everyone he was a slave. The dark gold showed prominently against his milky skin. On top of that they warned any slave that planned on escaping that they wouldn’t get far. There was a ring of bells attached to the anklet that rang on every step. Each bell that was attached to the bracelet started off blank (There were eight in total) And when a slave was sold, a bell was carved with the brand of the slave’s new master. If a slave had exceeded eight masters, he would be culled. That was simple logic since the slave with eight masters was going to be a problem through troublemaking or lethargy. John himself had three marked bells, including the Sultan’s insignia, two long bars, parallel, curved inward and joined at the top and bottom by two shorter bars that were also parallel. He rejoined the smug blond, looking down at the floor with a solemn face, his gold hammer still at his side.  
Dave raised his eyebrows, his short, cherry-red tunic making a slight sigh as the sleeves dragged along the floor, each sleeve adorned with a gold bell matching his own ankle bracelets in both hue and tone. His legs were bare, his feet in red velvet slippers, adorned with pearls and cloth-of-gold. Dave personally thought he looked like an absolute moron but if the sultan wished it, it happened. Period. “You have to put the hammer down.” He said, kneading his brows through a gauzy shroud, held on a string of semi-precious stones. It was his shield. His eyes trailed back to the boy as he spoke. “I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them.” He said, semi-apologetically, wondering if the boy would ever talk or if he was just mute. He must be mute, Dave decided.  
He didn’t know if the sultan would be visiting today, odds are he would as he had found another slave to molest. He turned, whispering to the guard standing by the door to be ready if he didn’t surrender his hammer.  
John looked up at him, his eyes widening slightly when he was told he would have to leave his precious hammer behind. He put a hand on the hilt of it, not threateningly, but protectively, shaking his head no. He took a step back and glared at the frustrated blond, biting his lip to hold back the string of curses that wanted to escape his mouth. Where he was from, to not speak in front of others was the greatest sign of disrespect. Though in this foreign land, that didn’t seem to be the case, but he still held firm to his people’s traditions. He said nothing, only glared at the smug blonde.  
Dave was already done with this guy but it couldn’t hurt to try keeping him calm. “If you’re so worried about your hammer, give it to me. I’ll keep it safe. No one messes with my stuff.” He held out his hand, gesturing to the guard who had started toward the boy, telling him to stand down. He offers a reassuring smile to the boy as well, sympathizing with him on a certain level.  
He wondered how long this boy had been a slave. Judging by the scars, probably a little while. He couldn’t really see the bells from here but it looked like only three of them had any markings. It meant he was fairly unused which would definitely have been a selling point. The hue of his skin suggested that he hailed from the same place as Dave, causing him to be a little less curt toward him already. However, he was being totally silent, which was incredibly offensive in Dave’s culture. Though he was still under the impression that the boy was mute so he was a little more compassionate about his silence.  
John looked up into the blond's face and glared at him vehemently. Give him, a total stranger, his family’s treasured hammer? One that had been passed down through generations? His priceless family heir loom?! Hells the fuck no! He shook his head no harder, his raven black hair falling into his face as he grasped the handle of his hammer and lifted it defensively. He didn’t know just how well he would fair in a fight, but he was never going to give up his hammer willingly. The blond was out of his smug and demanding mind if he thought he would just hand it over.  
“Well, I kind of hoped this could have gone better.” Dave said, nodding to the guard who came up behind the boy, quickly grabbing the hand that was holding the hammer and twisting his wrist sharply. He shook his head. “I know that hammer is important to you. If you leave it there, chances are you’ll never see it again. I’m telling you I'll keep it safe for you. You could ask any time to see it. The sultan just doesn’t allow his consorts to have weapons.” He pleads with the boy, hoping to convince him. The sultan would just melt it down and use the metal for some other will of his. He didn’t wish that on this boy with the sad cerulean eyes.

John winced as pain shot up and through his arm, the hammer being bodily removed from him. He squeezed his eyes shut and cursed himself as he let go of it, distraught with his own weakness. His family would've been so ashamed, but the pain had been too much. He froze, rigid and tense, avoiding jostling his arm while it remained in the guards grasp. Reopening his eyes, he bit into his lower lip, holding back his whimpers of pain and anger. The hammer rang slightly as it hit the ground, emitting a dull, metallic thud. He tried to go for it with his free hand, but the guard’s grasp was too firm. With a defeated sigh John pulled back, staring down at the floor, his body slumping in the guard’s vise-like grip.

Dave picks up the hammer, motioning for the guard to leave. He was surprised at the hammer’s weight, it was quite heavy, yet very well balanced. He nods appreciatively, turning to the boy to voice his observation appreciatively; “This is a very nice hammer.” He paused again, an idea dawning on him. Hopefully he would calm the boy down with his offer. “Come with me, I’ll show you where I’ll keep it so you can come get it whenever you want.” He said, realizing this boy could possibly liberate them all if he had some help, he wasn’t exactly muscle bound or anything but he did have an actual weapon and was obviously stubborn. He smiles with his back turned to John. “I think you’ll be able to find a place here-” He paused, realizing he hadn’t asked for a name. “What’s your name? I’m Dave, by the way. Normally we’re not supposed to tell, but I think I should make an exception.” For some reason, Dave felt more than just a professional obligation to this boy. It was unsettling, but he could work with it.

John fell to the ground when he was released, making contact with a jingle of his bracelets and a grunt, he stood once more facing the stranger as he spoke, his eyes traveling to his hammer then back to Dave’s face. He knew he had no chance of getting it back but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to at least look at it. He met the stranger’s eyes when he spoke. He gave him a cautious look, nibbling his lower lip as he debated weather or not he wanted the other to know he himself could speak. He decided it would be better to remain silent for the time being, just to be on the safe side, but he knelled to the ground and used his finger to spell out his name against the floor. He didn’t know if this ‘Dave’ would understand him, but he wasn’t going to speak if he didn’t have to. He stood up and took a step towards him, motioning him to move forward, his face still sad looking.

Dave shakes his head, his hopes that the boy would speak to him dashed as he drew on the floor with his finger in looping letters. Dave squinted at them, having never really learned to read. “Go…Hnn.” What an odd name he thought to himself, shrugging. He saw the boy step toward him, sincerely hoping that Gohen wouldn’t try to snatch the hammer and would just trust him for a second.  
He went against his better judgment and stepped toward Gohen, on his guard, watching for any sudden moves.  
He frowned and shook his head slightly, but decided better against speaking out. If his real name was prohibited here anyway, then there was no real point in correcting him. He looked up to Dave’s shrouded face and took a deep breath, motioning to Dave to show him where it was he was supposed to go. Though, after he did, he immediately dropped his gaze back to the floor, biting his lip.  
Dave realized he had gotten Gohen’s name wrong and shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere until you correct me.” After a moment of deliberation he thinks better of doing this here, grabs the boy’s hand and drags him down the hall and out into the garden, stopping in front of a huge oak tree, a knot rising in the trunk, large enough to be a cave, facing an inconspicuous foot path. “This is my sanctuary Gohen or, whoever.” Dave said, wondering why he was even doing this. This crossed all sorts of lines in his mind. Somehow he could justify it though. He trusted this boy. He turned to Gohen and smiled at him before leading him inside the huge tree.  
He gave him a surprised look as he took hold of his hand and led him quickly down a long and brightly lit hallway into a vast and voluptuous garden. He didn’t have time to enjoy the scenery though as Dave was pulling him quickly over to one of the more larger trees around. He gave him a cautious look as Dave pulled him inside. He led the boy up until they were nearly at the end of the winding passage Dave had slowly built from the knot inside this huge tree over his years of being a consort for the Sultan.  
He found this tree the first week he had been here, hiding from the sultan who had been especially harsh on him as he was not the most polite or courtly person around. He came here almost every day, made sure the walls didn’t rot completely. Made sure the tree was in good condition and practiced his fighting with a bough from the tree. He had stripped it of leaves and bark and had stolen a knife from the kitchen to carve it into a staff since he preferred the feel of wood to metal in his hand. He smiled, having never shown this to anyone before. It was a treat to see appreciation for years of work.  
This time John did have time to stare in wonder at the cavernous tree. It smelled like sweet wood and soft soil, and the wood itself glowed bright honey gold and deep brown in the light that poured in through the many holes from the branches above. It was beautiful. But most of all, it was private. He looked over at Dave in awe before he dropped his gaze back to the ground. John could tell he wasn’t trying to hurt him or anything anymore. By showing him this, it was like showing someone their secrets, and in John’s culture, that was a sign of not only great respect, but great trust.  
He saw the look the boy gave him and said quietly. “I didn’t think that it felt safe enough there for you. Am I right- ” He paused as John opened his mouth, hoping that he was indeed going to speak.

John looked back up at him, whispering softly;“My name is John.”

Dave's heart swelled, feeling as though he had accomplished something great as he heard John whisper to him. “…John. Am I right, John?” He continued carefully, his tone delicate as though handling something rare and valuable.  
John nodded his head slowly, feeling his face redden slightly as he walked with him higher and higher into the tree. The wood was supple and soft under his bare feet, and he thought it strange that he didn’t feel any splinters anywhere. He placed a hand gently on the wall of it, letting it linger as they stood there. He watched John place a hand on the wall, smiling slightly, having scrubbed the entire passage with sand. He hadn’t always worn slippers and splinters may have raised questions from the others. The wood felt warm under his hand from the heat of the outside garden, Wind flowed down into the passage from above, along with sunlight, not too much, just enough to light the way and made the passageway seem to glow with light filtered in from the canopy of leaves above. He looked over at Dave, assuming he was the one responsible for this masterpiece, and gave him a small but noticeable smile. “ It’s…beautiful. ” He said softly, not used to using his voice. He couldn’t even remember the last time he willingly spoke. The words felt foreign in his mouth but at least he could speak them, even if it was only because he could trust Dave.  
His heart soared as he saw John smile, a flush rising in his cheeks as John complimented his work. “It took me a long time. Your hammer should be safe here by the way. I’ll put it next to this.” He said, gently placing the hammer next to a long wooden staff, roughly a foot and a half larger than Dave, a handle woven from grass wrapping around the left side of the staff, a few medium sized glass beads adding weight to it and acting as balance. “I’m glad you didn’t begrudge me for what I let the guard do…” He looks down at his feet, feeling a little guilty for that now.  
He shook his head, stepping up to him and placing a hand on his hammer. He didn’t take hold of it, just let his long, pale fingers graze against the golden surface delicately. “It’s okay.” He sighed, “I’m used to it…” He said softly, his voice small and frail. The brilliant gold of the hammer differed greatly from the long, wood, sword like thing next to it, the light reflecting off of it lightly. He stepped nervously up to the wood staff and gently placed his fingers on that, leaving the hammer behind next to it. The wood had been sanded smooth, the edge not sharp, but the wood dense enough to do damage. He looked at it curiously, his hand trailing over the grass hilt and beads. “It’s well made. ” He commented, looking over at him with another small smile.  
Dave tenses as John touches the staff, not sure how to react to someone besides him picking it up. It was just such a personal thing to him... but he trusted John, so he crossed his arms, letting John inspect it. He fidgeted nervously until John commented. “I had to improvise when it wouldn’t swing properly.” He said, meaning the handle with the glass beads. He sits down across from the weapons and looks up at John. “I’m planning on using it to kill the sultan one day.” He says, a cold rage filling his crimson eyes, an malicious edge to his voice.  
John looked over at him, surprise and shock crossing his face as he removed his hand from the sword and stepped away from it. “But…They’ll kill you!” He said softly, his tone still laced with overwhelming shock. Take on the Sultan?! With his hundreds if not thousands of guards?! The mere idea was impossible and preposterous, a dream for fools. He shook his head slightly, looking at the sword with fear. “I don’t want you to die…”He said, giving Dave a worried look.  
He stood, taking the staff from from the shelf a little more roughly than he would have otherwise, the rage still there. “I don’t care if I die. I need to kill that depraved lunatic.” He glares at John, knowing full well he probably had no chance of avenging his brother without a lot of luck and a little help. His gaze softens when John confessed that he wanted Dave to live. “I have to do this, one way or another. I’ve been planning this ever since the day he took me away. ” He puts the sword back where it was before, leaning against the wall. “I can’t give up that easily.” He said, much less confident now, staring down at the ground, biting his lip and trying his best not to cry. Today was dredging up a lot of painful memories for him. He had made himself vulnerable willingly and didn’t know how to go about trusting someone like he trusted John. John, whom he had only met a couple hours ago. Who until fifteen minutes ago, he didn’t even know his name! What had gotten into him?  
John gave Dave a scared look when he directed his hard and angry gaze at him, but when it softened, he relaxed, but only slightly. He took a step back from him just in case, but held his ground, giving him a sympathetic look when he told him about how he had been planning to do this for a reason. He didn’t blame him. John had always secretly prayed for his previous master's deaths to be quick and painful under his hammer… but he was a gutless wimp. He could never bring himself to hurt someone, no matter how much he himself was hurt.  
He hesitantly walked up to Dave and placed a long fingered pale hand on his bare shoulder, trying to give him some support. “I’m sorry. I- didn’t mean to upset you…” He said in a sympathetic voice. “I just… don’t want to lose another friend.” He said, looking down and away.  
Dave looked at the hand, sighed deeply and stood up straight. “It’s not your fault. ” He said, turning to John; “I had a feeling you had lost someone too. I’m sorry. I understand what you’re going through if that helps any?” He suddenly looks upward, swearing under his breath. “It’s almost noon, come on. We have to be in the reception hall at noon, sharp!” He said, running down the smooth passage, turning and sliding on the balls of his feet the rest of the way down, tumbling out of the knot and calling out. “Come on John! We can’t waste any time!”  
His eyes opened wide as he quickly followed, careful not to slip down the narrow passageway as he stumbled out after Dave, his ankle bracelets jingling as he went. He followed Dave quickly, his hands grasping the material of his pants to keep him from tripping over them as they rushed to get to the reception hall. He didn’t know what was in store for them, but he prayed it wasn’t anything bad. He kept pace with Dave, quietly whispering to him as the ran. “Wh-What’s in the reception hall?”  
“Your new master.” Dave said, the bells on his ankles and sleeves ringing with each frantic step. He jumped the stairs leading out into the garden, landing in the doorway and turning back to make sure John was not far behind. “He’s going to test you, over-react to it and you’ll be safer.” He said, picking out the second archway on the left side of the hall. “This way!” He said, dashing down the hall, the corridor getting steadily larger, marked by intimidating arches every 10 feet or so, columns coming down to meet the shining marble floor.

John couldn’t jump nearly as far as he could run, so he choose to take the stairs as quickly as he could, keeping a steady pace behind Dave. Keeping him in sight as corridors grew darker and darker, wider and wider until Dave slowed to a halt, making an abrupt turn. John struggled to catch his breath, letting his robes down so he could hunch over and rest his hands on his knees. He didn’t know what Dave meant by ‘test’, but he knew it couldn’t mean anything good. He prayed it wouldn’t be anything...Perverse. His previous masters had always made him either a guard a dancer, never daring to touch him for whatever reason. However, John knew this new master had a reputation for violating his new slaves, relishing in their youth. It sickened and scared him, worry rising in the pit of his stomach as he reached out and grabbed hold of Dave’s robes, dragging him to a halt.. “Dave…What are they going to do to me?” He asked quietly so no one else could hear him.  
Dave's mouth drew into a tight line as he heard John's query. "He is going to do terrible things, I'm not going to lie to you, John. You're going to wish you were dead." Dave shrugged off John's hand, staring down at the ground, hoping to Gog that they weren't late or the Sultan would take it out on him later. "You have to be strong though, okay?" Dave said, flashing his best and brightest smile before returning his look of smug indifference he wore before. "Okay. Let's do this." He said, his demeanor changing significantly, his eyes became downcast as he troted slowly into the reception hall, his posture much weaker and slouchier. He bows to the guards posted outside the door, whispering to John in a shaking voice, "They've had their tongues cut out so they can't tell anyone else what they've seen." and with that he led him inside.


	2. Initiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Huge trigger warning for rape here okay?? Just...Don't read it if you don't think you can handle it.

The reception room contrasted starkly with the rest of the lavish palace, chains dangled from the high, vaulted ceiling. Cages lined one wall... some of which were filled. A rack containing every variable of restraint and whip covered the opposing wall, and pathetic cries of pain echoed through the room. A smattering of cushions sat in the center of this place, laid out in a half circle around a throne of ebony, in which the sultan sat.  
John stared in wide eyed horror at the room, panic bubbling up in his chest as he brought a hand to his mouth to hold back the scream crawling up his throat. He looked to Dave with his wide, bright blue eyes, horrified. His throat constricted in fear as he backed up, unable to speak. His lower lip quivered, and his knees shook, making the bells ring around his ankles. Those damn bells sounded like they were mocking him, ringing so merrily in his horror... But Dave was right. He had to get this over with, or the consequences would be far worse. He bit his lip hard, forcing it to stop quivering as he stood up straight, taking a deep breath. On shaking knees, he hesitantly strode forward into the room. Th guards closed the heavy doors behind him with a loud 'BANG', making him flinch, but he held his ground, looking around the room in disgust. He stayed quiet, determined to stay that way until whatever was about to befall him came.  
Dave closed his eyes slowly, chewing on the inside of his lip. The look of fear on John's face being nearly too much for him to bear. He places his hand on the small of John's back, pushing him forward and whispering one last time before they got into earshot. "You know to kneel in front of him, right? He likes when you look up at him though. I think he gets off on the fear he sees." He felt goosebumps rising as the sultan gazed upon him and fell silent, kneeling on one of the two pillows near the center of the half circle, tugging John's wrist and forcing him to kneel with him. The sultan let out a low, pleased growl, almost a purr. He leaned forward in his seat, his mismatched, pupil-less eyes staring down at John hungrily, his robes ebony like his throne with yellow accents. The overall effect was making him look like a giant wasp. "Good afternoon, boy." He practically hissed at John, his face cracking into a toothy grin as he leaned close to John, their faces only a few inches apart, his eyes crackling with energy as he leaned closer. "How are you finding our facilities?"  
He looked up into his new masters mismatched, blue and red eyes, his own bright blue ones wide with fear. As he knealt with Dave, his eyes never leaving the Sultans. He was unable to look away, like a moth drawn to a flame. His back tightened with fear as he just sat there, unable to speak as he was addressed. When he noticed the power radiating from the Sultans eyes he fought every instinct in his body. He knew he wouldn't get far, whether the guards got to him, or the Sultan. He gulped, biting his lower lip harder, nearly drawing blood as he squeezed Dave's hand tightly.  
Dave looked equally terrified, but he pulled his hand away, knowing the Sultan would see it and exploit John's security with him. He bit his lip and remained looking up at the Sultan, determined to make this as easy for John as possible. The Sultan snarled at John. "We asked for an answer. We expect an answer." The sultan drew his hand back and slapped him. "You will learn your place slave. Answer me. How. Are you enjoying. Our facilities?" He hissed the last few words, a lisp becoming prominent, his eyes blazing with energy now.  
John vaulted to the side with the force of the slap, his hand instinctively going up to his cheek to try to soothe the stinging pain. He grunted but didn't speak. He squeezed his eyes shut, then sat back up again, getting back into his kneeling position and gritting his teeth. He looked up at the Sultan defiantly, his mouth set, holding back the tears that wanted to spill from the pain in his cheek. He knelt there on the floor, eyes locked with those of the sultan.   
Dave stared in fear at John, knowing that if he didn't submit soon, the Sultan would just kill him and steal someone else. Dave prayed that John would say something before -- The sultan interrupted that thought as he plucked John up using his telekinetic ability, his eyes sparking and crackling as he lifted John slowly off the ground, a slow, satisfied smile creeping across the sultan's face as he leans back in his chair. "Next, I believe I will slowly crush every bone in your body, you insolent thing. You have exactly one minute to answer my VERY simple question. Then I begin increasing pressure on your body." The sultan seems delighted at this point, lounging with one hand propping his chin up. Dave gasps and stares up in shock and alarm at John. *NO!* He thought, the idea of losing this friend adding salt to the already sore wound of Dave's loss.  
John opened his eyes wide as his body was slowly forced up into a standing position. What the fuck was going on!? What was this!? Why couldn't he move!? He looked from The Sultan to Dave and then back again, fear coursing through his veins and pulsing in his heart as he fought against the grip of the force surrounding him. He looked to Dave for an explanation, but his covered eyes only showed bright, unconstrained fear for him. John knew the Sultan wasn't playing a game, and if he didn't say something, he would be writing his own death certificate... So he finally spoke, looking down at the Sultan with a hateful gaze. "...Y-Your Palace... Is- lovely, Master..."He managed to strangle out, fighting against the grip of the Sultans power.  
The sultan's face fell a little bit, he had been looking forward to the possibility of killing him. He sighed and removed his psychic grip upon John, letting him fall to the ground. "We are glad you find our palace aesthetically pleasing." He said, seeming a little bored now. Dave wished with all his might that he could help John right now, but this wasn't the right time. He felt it. It would be soon though. He knew that much. Dave resisted the urge to rush over to John as the Sultan stood and strode toward the heap that John had fallen into. "Boy, we grow bored. You are new here. You must be introduced to the privileges you shall be blessed with during your stay." He did not address John so much as the rest of the room, his crackling gaze casting around until he spotted his wall of restraints. He headed toward them, a cruel smile on his face.  
John coughed out a grunt as he hit the floor, his head hitting the cold marble painfully as he fell. He held his arms around himself, trying to hold in the cries that rose to his lips unbidden as he opened his eyes. His vision swam, he probably hit the floor a lot harder than he though he had, but it was clear enough that he could see the Sultan standing and making his way over to him. He curled up slightly, worried that he might be beaten, but looked after him, confused as he spoke his black robes trailing after him as he walked off to an adjacent wall. John rested his head against the cold marble floor for a moment, before sitting up again, his head spinning with pain, looking around. He watched as the Sultan focused on the restraints on the wall, his head instantly clearing. He wasn't going to... No, He couldn't! He wouldn't! Would he...? John started shivering again, his body freezing up as he looked over at Dave for anything that could help him, his bright blue eyes desperate.  
Dave saw John's eyes, wide with fear, connect with his. He nodded. He would, he could, and he was going to. He thought, knowing what that gaze was about. His eyes followed the sultan as he picked his usual set for new slaves from the rack on the wall. A simple, leather and chain harness, meant for holding ankles and wrists in place at the same time. He remembered that harness and shuddered, quietly hoping he could handle it. The sultan looked over at John, a sneer forming as he saw the frantic look on his face. "Shhh. We'll be gentle." He cooed as he knelt down next to the boy, buckling the restraints one by one, the leather hissing as it passed through the buckles, reminiscent of the Sultan's own hissing. He pets John's hair in a sickeningly tender fashion as he finished restraining his wrists. "This will prove your worth to us, boy." He said, that same sickly sweet tone making Dave shudder from his seat, he knew that John's performance could be a life or death scenario.  
John didn't know what to do. He stared wide eyed, his mouth set in a firm, hard line as the Sultan bound his wrists and ankles together, leaving him totally exposed. His clothes still clung to him, but the Sultan must have loosened his robes, they were starting to slip off his shoulders. No. No. No. No. NO! This couldn't be happening. This could /not/ be happening. John had no idea what to do. He had never had a Master do things like this to him before! He was... He was still pure. That was one of the reasons he had been bid off for such a high price. He squirmed around, trying to get out of the bonds holding him but to no avail. The tears that had been threatening to pour down his face now flowed freely, streaking his face and dripping onto his robes.   
Dave turned away at this point, hoping that John would be alright later. He takes a deep breath and tunes the room out, as he usually does when he is a bystander. He sticks to his usual happy-place; an old memory of his brother, teaching him how to read some of the poetry he had written. The poetry was pretty awful all things considered, and he had never picked up reading quite the same way as his brother had. He only knew some of the letters and words and even then he sometimes couldn't remember them.   
The sultan casts his gaze from John's groin to his chin, a thin streak of energy rending John's robes, causing them to shift and fall open, John's body now completely exposed. He grins darkly, that same toothy grin he gave John before. "You know why we went out of our way to bring you here, slave. You enticed me with that smooth, pale skin." He said, running a hand slowly down John's stomach, his greedy eyes following it as he continued to speak. "You are a temptation indeed." He purred, a soft glow coming into his hands and flowing into John's stomach, the result of which feeling almost exactly like a low-wattage electric shock. His eyes watched John's face, searching for fear and weakness.  
John's eyes widened with shock as Dave turned away, leaving him to deal with the Sultan alone. He looked back to the Sultan hesitantly, closing his eyes tightly as he felt the clothes that were already slipping off get pulled off completely, leaving him exposed. He gnawed on his lip and blinked one of his eyes open as he listened to the Sultan speak, his spine tensing with fear as he felt the other's gaze linger on his naked form. He was terrified, he couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything as he felt the Sultans hand slide down his naked torso. He bit his lip hard, trying to ignore it and look away, but then he felt small shocks start to emit from his hand, right into his stomach. He gasped out, his stomach tensing under the small electrical bursts. His eyes went wide, fear and desperation filling them as more tears spilled. "Please...N-no!" He whispered quietly, fear straining his voice.  
Dave was jarred from the memory by John's pathetic begging, he turns to look over at him, forcing himself to be there for him, knowing that he would have done anything to have a ray of hope here. The sultan laughs, a sound that could only be the product of a mind completely gone awry. "Yes, beg." He hissed at John, running his still electrified hand lower until it rested an inch or two beneath John's belly button. Right above his groin. The sultan now increased the voltage slightly, digging his fingers into the skin, providing more contact points. He growls, once again, a pleased growl, his face hovering just above John's.  
He let out a loud yelp, his muscles contracting under the power and intensity of the volts coming from his hand. He squirmed, his legs trying to kick the hand away, but only succeeded in forcing the cuffs cutting into his skin deeper, the leather making his flesh break and bleed. He cried out, the pain from the cuts burning as they were made deeper. He felt dirty, sick and disgusting as he felt his body start to react to the shocks, his blood pulsing through him in fear and disgust. "No... Please! Stop! I-I... I can't!"He whimpered, his voice pathetically weak from fear.  
"Don't squirm now, it will only make it worse." The sultan said, slowly easing his electricity away, noting the boy's reaction already. "Really now?" He smirked, reaching down a little further, his hand resting at the base of John's member, he stares down at his slave's reaction. "This takes much longer normally. We are glad you are still pure. We get bored so easily." He wraps his hand around his member, not touching the skin yet, just sending whisper light shocks into it, wanting to see John squirm more. That of course was the best part of getting the new ones, the reactions. Nothing ever surprises the veterans like the red boy.  
John gasped out, his head tossing back and hitting the floor again. His head swam, but only briefly. It wasn't until he could feel the Sultans hand wrapped around his cock, sending soft little sparks of electricity through him that his head clear again. He squirmed harder, his bonds cutting deep into his wrists and ankles as he did to. Blood dripped slowly onto the floor, spreading as his arms and legs fought for freedom. He squeezed his eyes tightly closed, gritting his teeth as he fought his body for control. The inside of his mouth tasted like salty metal as blood started to leak out of the small wounds his teeth were making from the grinding, but he didn't care. He just wanted this all to stop. He wanted his family, he wanted to go home... but it was all fruitless. No matter how much he begged or screamed or shouted for mercy, it would only spur him on. But if he kept quiet and gave no reaction at all, he would surly be killed. He whimpered slightly as he gave in, letting his body relax into the small shocks as he cried out, tears still leaking down his face.  
The sultan grins almost impossibly wide as he sees John bleeding from several wounds, knowing he had broken him a little bit today. He squeezes his hand around John's cock a little tighter, not usually wanting to touch his slaves though this one tempted him more than the others, he was so vulnerable. He ran his tongue up the slave's cheek, licking up the tears as his hand crept down and cupped John's ass. He turned to Dave, who was still watching, tears streaming down his face now too. "Get it, now." He snapped, Dave, hurrying to oblige, went over to one of the tables holding the Sultans suppiles, returning with a totally smooth, bulb-shaped solid glass object, a band of metal running around the circumference of the bulb and down onto the handle in a straight line, creating a cap on the end of it. Dave gave it to him with a shaking hand, looking to John and mouthing to him. "Be strong." The sultan took the object and slowly ran it across John's inner thighs, the glass and metal cold to the touch.  
John opened his eyes wide and choked on a gasp as his breath hitched in his throat. His cock was throbbing now, tingling with unfamiliar sensations as the shocks made his pulse race and his flesh and muscles tingle. He moaned slightly at the grip on him, his body now slicked with blood and tears. When he heard the Sultan speak up, asking for Dave to bring him something, he looked over at him with fear laden eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "P-Please... no... noooo..." He moaned out, feeling the cold, glass and metal object glide across his inner thighs. His knees came together, pulling on his restraints painfully as he tried to block himself off.  
The sultan shook his head and easily flipped John onto his stomach with a twitch of his head, tendrils of psychic energy lacing around John once more, exposing him. "You can't hide this from me." He smirked as he ran the cold glass between John's buttocks slowly.   
Dave clenched his teeth, his knuckles white as he balled his hands into tight fists, willing himself not to do anything. It was still too soon and he was completely outmatched.   
The sultan didn't seem to care that John was covered in blood and sweat. He instead halted the bulb right on John's entrance, beginning to press it in ever so slowly.  
"...n- NOOOOOOOO!!!" John gasped out and screamed as his hole was stretched painfully by the foreign object. Wriggling desperately to try and get away. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, biting his lip to prevent anymore screams from escaping him. He would be damned if he would be broken here. He would not give the Sultan the pleasure of letting him know just how much he was being hurt. He would rather die, which is what he felt like he was doing. His insides stretched painfully to accommodate the object as it slid deeper and deeper, stretching his hole more and more the deeper it went. His breath came in gasps for air now, his tears accompanying shallow sobs.  
The sultan slowly works the entire thing into him, chuckling each time he gasped. "I am almost done. I told you I would be gentle today." He said as he placed his fingertip on the metal cap and let out a small surge once more, extending a tendril of energy up the shaft of John's cock as well. Dave stands shocked and torn, not having it nearly so hard his first time. He made a mental note to try and let John sleep in the tree after all this was over with.  
John gasped in pain, small moans escaping from him no matter how hard he tried to hold them back. When he felt the object slide completely into him, he almost gave a sigh of pained relief... That was until he felt the shocks again. He lost all control of himself, his arms and legs twisting and wriggling to be set free as the shocks spread from the metal around the base of the object deep into his insides. His whole body felt like it was on fire, the pain and pleasure mixing until he couldn't tell one from the other anymore. He screams went unheeded, his cries unheard as his body bled and contorted on the floor.  
The sultan smirked, halting his electric shocks after a few seconds, he grabbed the bloody object and slowly removed it, handing it to Dave and strolling away. "You have done well. Congratulations and welcome to my Harem." He said, reaching the foot of a winding staircase at the back of the room and climbing out of sight, apparently satisfied for the time being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit son. Shota so hot you can fry his dick. *blatant irreverence*  
> If you want you can leave some kudos...That'd be nice.


	3. A Safe Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John is brought to Dave's hideaway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty short, sorry.

Dave threw the thing to the floor and ran over to John, removing the restraints gingerly and picked him up, cradling him as he walked toward the large double doors. "Come on, John. I'm going to get you cleaned up, okay buddy?" He murmured tearfully as he passed through the doors and out into the hall, taking him to the baths and putting him down in one of the lukewarm pools, trying not to aggravate his condition. He dabs at John's wounds lightly, trying to hold back more tears.  
After the last round of shocks, he blacked out, not even noticing when the painful object had been pulled from him. He /could/ feel the blood though, pouring from multiple wounds including his painfully stretched hole. After a few moment's he finally came to, feeling strange as Dave lifted him up and carried him gingerly through the faintly lit hallways. He had never felt so disgusting and dirty and violated, his whole body aching from the shocks and abuse. He looked up at Dave as he carried him, his face blank as they went into the bathhouse. He did nothing as he was lowered into the lukewarm water, his wounds stinging slightly as it washed the blood away. His eyes wouldn't stop leaking though, the pain too much for him to bear.  
He looked up at Dave as he cleaned him, his face a mask of sadness and pain. "D-Dave..." He whimpered, looking down into the water and screwing his face up in horror and disgust at his reflection. "I-It...Hurt..." He said simply, unable to think of anything better to sum up his feelings.  
Dave bites his lip hard, trying to be strong for John, he had no idea that the sultan would treat him like this. This was a test, he knew. This was what he needed to goad him into doing this for real. He pet John's head. "I know. I'm so sorry. You can sleep with me in the tree tonight if you want. You'll be safe there." He said, grabbing some linen from a shelf and patting John dry, wrapping his wounds gingerly and grabbing a light white robe for him to wear.  
He stood from the pool on shaky legs, wrapping the offered linen around him tightly to hide his naked body. Even after taking a bath, John felt filthy. His body ached with a slow, deep pain, some wounds still bleeding into the white linen as it clung to him. He let Dave tend to his wounds and took the soft white robes from him, wrapping them gingerly around his waist and shoulders.  
It hurt to move, but he knew he had to. At the mention of staying the night in the tree with Dave, he gave an eager nod, his damp black locks falling into his face. "Y-Yes... Please..." He said simply. Talking was so hard after all the screaming he had just done, and the fact that he was still getting used to talking didn't exactly help. He stood after Dave finished with his wounds and took a few steps only to fall to the ground again. His legs were like jello, unable to keep him up after what he had just endured. He hit the ground painfully, eliciting a loud 'Oomph' and a worried exclaimation from Dave. Luckily Dave caught him and pulled him back up, wrapping his arm around John and propping him up.  
"Come on, I'll help you." He said, his voice monotonal now, he was suppressing this as he had suppressed every other horrible thing that happened in this place. He slowly walked toward the doors, keeping pace so John could walk with him. He pauses as they reach the hall, looking through his shroud at John. "I'm...I didn't know he would be that rough." He said, feeling guilt settle heavily in his stomach.  
John looked over at him, his legs nearly giving out as they made their way slowly through the halls. He gave Dave a small smile, though it was mostly forced... He didn't know if he would ever smile for real ever again, not after what he just went though and possibly what he was going to be going through for the rest of his natural life. He shook the thought away, focusing his attention on staying standing. He used his free hand to wipe away Dave's tear that the blond had yet to notice, his smile soft, but still there. "It's not your fault." He said softly, holding back tears of his own. "You were just doing what you were told to. You couldn't do anything to help." His throat burned with every word he spoke, so he stopped there, looking down at the floor as he tried to not think about it, letting Dave direct him.  
Dave bit his lip as he felt John's hand gently brush away his tears. How could something like this happen to someone so kind? Dave had stopped hoping for salvation long ago. He knew it was up to him now. He would have to stop this madness. "Stop trying to talk. You'll just hurt yourself." He said to John, his brow furrowed with worry. A surge of guilt passing over him once more as John spoke, sending tears flowing down his face in earnest. He WAS just doing what he was told. He couldn't stand it. He needed to rid the world of that tyrant, one way or another. He couldn't stand by and watch anymore. Dave thought as he reached the staircase leading into the garden, plucking John up and carrying him down the stairs. Dave's fingers shifted, finding blood seeping through the bindings and making a note to go get more.  
John let Dave carry him the rest of the way, his legs too weak to do so himself. He looked up at him, wiping away the tears that were spilling from his covered eyes. "Don't cry..." He said softly, ignoring Dave's suggestion to stay quiet. He had been quiet for so long, with no one to talk to or share things with. But now that he could trust Dave, all he wanted to do was talk to him, no matter how much it hurt. As they ascended into the tree, John noticed how dark it had gotten. He felt that he had been in that room, for a while, but he didn't know he had been gone /that/ long. He shuddered at the thought, praying that he wouldn't dream about the encounter tonight, hoping for a blissful, dreamless sleep.  
He got down from Dave's hold carefully, but when his eyes caught sight of his hammer, he quickly shuffled over to it, ignoring the pain in his legs. He grasped hold of the golden hilt and brought the hammer close to his chest, his sobs that he had been holding back now coming out full force as he fell to the ground with it. "Don't...deserve...this..."He said, motioning to the hammer. "Family...disgrace..." He cried, his tears and blood smearing on the golden surface.  
Dave watched him go for the hammer, knowing that this could not end well. He walked over and placed his hand on his shoulder. "No, you were strong. You didn't disgrace anyone, John." He said, his feelings on the matter of his Brother's death surging back full force, Dave bit them back and pulled John into a hug, speaking quietly. "There's a cot over there. I sleep here sometimes too." He gestured to a small white cot, stuffed with dried grass and linen.  
He nodded, doubtful that he would actually be able to sleep at all after what he went through. But he would have to try, if only to sleep through the ungodly pain in his body. He held his hammer tightly to his chest as he crawled over to the small, fluffy cot, pulling his body up onto it. It wasn't the worst thing he had ever slept on, though it was sort of itchy from the dried grass. He forced the emotions building inside him away, willing himself to stop crying, his teeth chewing on his bottom lip to hold in his tears as he closed his eyes, his hands gripping tightly around the gold hilt as a kind of security blanket.


	4. Tending the Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John is patched up and subdued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternately titled: Something Else Gets Shoved up John's Poor Butt

Dave sat next to John, knowing the cot wasn't the best bed in the world but not really being capable of getting a more comfortable one without raising suspicion. He saw John's half closed eyes, glazed with pain and he began wracking his brain for anything that could reduce it, straightening as it dawned on him; Clove oil and Poppy essence. That would work. He gently placed his hand on John's shoulder. "I'm going to the royal potion-master. I'll be back in a few minutes hopefully." He murmured, standing up and striding out, feeling as though it was wrong to leave him there, but he had to get new bandages as well.  
He made his way through the garden, a couple cave ferns assisting the moon and fireflies in lighting the way. He made his way up the steps, took a left turn down a long winding flight of stairs and came into the Potion-master's study. The potion master was still up as usual. Dave wondered if the man ever slept. The potion master gummed at his pipe, his beard trailing down his stomach and tucked into his belt, he never looked up from the small scroll he had pinned to his table, a little vial bubbling away atop a little iron stove, built into his table.  
The man cleared his throat, causing Dave to freeze. "Oh!" He said, knowing that the potions master was gifted with unusually keen hearing for his old age. The old man turns ever so slowly to face Dave with his blind eye. "What is it, slave. I do not suffer interruptions from the likes of you gracefully." Dave blinks, this man had always scared him, he thought to himself as a shiver ran down his spine.  
"I need some poppy essence and clove oil please...My frie- The new harem slave The sultan received is in great pain. He needs to be medicated." Dave said, in his most humble tone, knowing this man was very old fashioned. The potions master stands and shuffles painfully slowly to a wooden shelf situated near his work table. He plucks a small, bulbous bottle filled with a dark, brownish black liquid and a vial of cream colored powder. He hands both to Dave with quavering hands.  
"Blend them with a piece of linen. Do not touch them yourself. They cause numbness of the skin and an infirm mind, though they do take pain away." He sat back down and returned to his work without so much as a glance at Dave, which was perfectly alright since Dave was already making his way to the bathhouse. Laden with linen and the two bottles, he walks out to the garden and up into the tree.  
"John?" He asked tentatively, hoping he had not fallen asleep. "I have some medicine." He said, holding up the bottle and vial.  
John looked over at him from his position on the cot, not daring to move lest he cause yet another jolt of pain to wrack his body. His grip on his hammer hadn't lessened, and that brought with it the consequence of making his already bleeding wounds bleed more. Blood was pooling around his ankles and wrists along with his ass, which still stung with pain from the stretching and shocks he had endured. "I'm awake..." He said softly, trying his best to sound calm, the exact opposite of what he was feeling. "What did you get?" He asked, his body curling up to get comfortable. Though it was useless at this point. The hammer in his hands pressed into his chest as he held it but he wasn't about to let it go, it was the only thing keeping him from breaking down.  
"I got new bandages, some clove oil and some poppy essence." He said, holding up each thing as he listed it. He looks at the blood seeping into the cot and shakes his head, thankful he had brought more linen this time around. He folds a piece into a thick square, un-corking the clove oil, a pungent aroma rising from the bottle causing Dave's eyes to water. "Ugh. That smells disgusting.” he muttered, hastily reassuring John. “I know this will numb your pain though." He said, pouring a small amount onto the cloth. He then un-corks the vial with the powder inside, not particularly smelling like anything. He shrugged and tapped a tiny bit onto the square, re-corking both when he finishes. He smushes the linen square together, mixing the two substances into a greyish-brown and runny poultice. "I need to unwrap and clean your wounds again. I'll run out and grab some water. Sorry for leaving you. There's an urn next to the fountain for thirsty garden-goers so I probably won't be too long, okay?" He stood once more, shouting this up at John as he leaves once again. Dave runs out into the garden, passing some shrubs in which some nocturnal lizards perched, staring out at him. Dave waves to them, a habit he picked up a while ago, having never really gotten out of it. He finds the fountain, still flowing with crystal clear water, the water rippling as a water-skater bug zipped away from the boy, the moon's reflection dancing in the pool as Dave plucked up the urn and dipped into it, holding it steadily against his hip as he headed back to the tree. He reached the large tree and began climbing once more, spilling no water only by years of practice.  
"Take your time..." He managed to whisper out as he watched him go, not minding the time alone. He hated that Dave had to do this for him when he himself was probably tired from having to watch what had happened, but he appreciated it nonetheless. The smell of the strong poultice drew into his nostrils with every breath, making him wince. He didn't know /how/ that stuff was supposed to help him, judging by how bad it smelled. But if Dave said it would help, then he would trust him. He had already trusted him with so much, this wasn't something he even had to worry about. When he came back with the pitcher of water, his mouth immediately felt dry. It was only then he realized he was thirsty, but he wasn't going to say anything until Dave was finished treating him. After all, he could wait to drink, but he was desperate for anything to help ease the pain. ".Th-Thank you for helping me, Dave..."  
"It would be wrong not to help a friend." He said as he dampened the cloth covered in the poultice with a little water as he didn't have a whole lot of the clove oil or poppy essence and it would raise too many questions if he kept coming back for one slave's health.  
He notices John staring at the urn and grabs a smallish pouch tucked into the leather belt he wore. "This is my water skin, I'm allowed to have it with me because I can't really use it to hurt the Sultan." He said, dipping it into the water and handing it to John. "I saw you eying the urn. It's okay. Drink. You need it." He said worriedly as he slowly peeled back the old bandages and holding up the poultice covered cloth. "You're going to have to sit up while I unwrap this.” He realized this as he struggled with the first bandage.  
He looked at the small bag and eagerly drank from it, his throat chugging it greedily as it cooled the burning. His throat still hurt, but at least now it didn't feel like a desert. He looked up at him though at the mention of him having to sit up. He was having trouble just laying there doing nothing, sitting up was going to be an even greater challenge. He looked up at him one more and sighed softly, setting his hammer aside as he struggled to sit up. His muscles ached and throbbed on his insides, and his bleeding wrists and ankles weren't exactly helping. But he could do this. He /would/ do this, because for this small moment of pain, Dave promised salvation. He grit his teeth and bore it until he was sitting up straight. The pain in his ass was almost unbearable, but he hoped with a little rest it wouldn't be too bad . He lifted his arms out to Dave, letting him treat them with the strange medicine, hoping it would help cool the burning of the angry cuts. "R-Really...hurts..." He stated simply, scrunching his face at his bleeding wrists. "Will he... do that... again?" He asked, his voice small and drained of emotion.  
"Yes, he will. Not until you've healed though. He likes it when you're in your best condition." He said, hoping he could actually divert the sultan that long. He watches John struggle with sitting up, knowing he needed to do this himself he let him struggle, unwrapping the bandages on his wrists first and grabbing the poultice covered cloth. He slowly dabs the mixture onto the cuts. "This will make your mind do strange things. It's like it pulls the shroud from the world beyond ours." He said, pensively. Concentrating on administering it to all the cuts and bruises on John's wrist before moving to the other, unwrapping it and spreading the liquid on it, wrapping new bandages around both wrists tightly. He gently pushes on John's collarbone, telling him silently to lie down. He knew he had to put some in John's ass, not wanting to trigger a panic attack he coiled some linen into a conical shape. "John, I need to put some...Uhm...Up there...It'll help” He mumbled reassuringly, his brow furrowing as he finished his query. “...Can I?"  
John gave him a worried look when he said that this would happen again, but bit his lip to hold back his fear. He watched him administer the medicine covered cloth to his flesh with a it actually started to take effect. Dave was right, whatever was in this stuff /was/ making him feel weird. The medicine entered his blood stream through the cuts and traveled up his arms and legs, numbing him to every sensation until in made it's way to his brain. It polluted his mind, making the world seem slower as Dave finished wrapping the rest of his wounds. He felt /much/ better now, though there was still that small ache deep inside him. He looked over at Dave when he spoke, but couldn't really understand him He nodded his head absentmindedly though, knowing even in his confusion that he could trust Dave."Thhhhhhhhaaaaaaaank yooooooooou Daaaaaaaave......" He drawled out, his throat numb from the medicine in his system.  
Dave half smiled, knowing John didn't really understand what was going on anymore so he rubbed some poultice onto the cone, making it much smaller than it was before by wrapping it tighter, the cone now only finger sized and dripping with the poultice. He slowly presses it against John's ass-hole, hoping he didn't panic. He rest his hand on John's knee, looking up at him reassuringly and slowly working it inside him. "I'm only doing this so you hurt less. Don't panic, okay?" He said, terrified that he would shatter John's trust in this moment yet also knowing this would offer some much needed relief.  
He felt his body get rolled over, but he didn't know why. Not that he was complaining, it relieved him of some of the pain that being on his back brought forth. He sighed, resting against the cushions of the cot unti- "N-Nooooo..... NOOOOOOOOOO!" He shouted, feeling the small thing get pushed up into his throbbing hole. He tried to move his limbs, but they were almost useless now from the medicine. The prodding of the thing in his ass brought back the memories of sheer terror from the hours before, the Sultan and his slimy, greedy, /cruel/ smile, the pain from what he did.... the look on Dave's face. It was too much for him. He broke out into sobs, his body shaking with them until- it didn't hurt anymore. What? What had happened? The pain was just gone. He was so shocked by the sudden departure of it that his sobs stopped almost instantly, his body relaxing. "am...I....dead?" He questioned, unsure of what was going on. He could still feel something inside of him, but it didn't hurt. As a matter of fact, it felt kinda nice, almost...pleasurable. He let out a soft moan at it, closing his eyes slightly as he relaxed more and more, some of it from his own will, the rest from the medicine coursing through him. "...ungh....Daaaaaaaaaaaaave....." He moaned.  
Dave, having been holding his breath until the moment John stopped flailing, trying to concentrate on something other than John's panicked cries. "Calm down." He said around the lump forming in his throat. "I'm just trying to help." He rinsed his hand off and came up to John's face, petting his hair. "I'm right here. You're not dead. How do you feel?" He said, not even sure if John could understand him anymore.  
He mumbled incoherently as the medicine dragged through his mind, making him less lucid and more tired with every passing second. He felt Dave's warm hand on his cheek and hair. He sighed happily and leaned into the touch, glad that the pain was finally over...for now. "Daaaaaave....Sooooo....Tired....." He groaned, his eyes falling closed as he blacked out.

Dave felt John's body go limp as the medicine took effect, knowing he was asleep. He smiled a little, standing and grabbing his wooden sword, walking into the garden and sitting down on the lip of the fountain, plucking a bag of sand from his belt, the only other thing he had on him. No one questioned why since no one really cared to talk to the Sultan's harem slaves, finding them all rather disconcerting.   
Dave dipped the sand filled bag into the pool of water and began running it against the surface of the sword, the sand scraping against the smooth wood with a sigh. After a few minutes of sanding he stood, holding the sword/staff in front of him and tilted at a 45 degree angle away from his body, his elbows bent slightly to allow for better movement, he bends his knees and brings his legs apart to about where his shoulders fell, planting his feet firmly on the ground and staring intensely into the bush in front of him, sliding his feet forward slightly and bringing his arm down in a quick slash, he rends the bush nearly in half with a loud *THWACK* He jumps at the noise and looks around, only seeing a couple lizards skittering away. He let out a sigh of relief and decided to return to the tree to practice.


	5. Keep Your Friends Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Dave start their day on a hurried note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where things start to get interesting. *wink*

What seemed like hours passed until John finally woke up. His body still ached, but it was no longer unbearable. He blinked his eyes open, seeing the light of the sun beaming down through the canopy of the tree above him. He sighed at the beauty of it, but upon looking around, he noticed Dave was nowhere to be seen.   
John didn't think he had been asleep all that long, though time could have passed very quickly considering he could barely remember much of what happened yesterday after... no, he wasn't going to think about it. The less he thought about it, the better off he would be. 

He sat up, feeling strange at first, but found out why after he stood up experimentally. a cold shiver of fear ran down his spine as he brought one of his hands to his ass, feeling something that /very/ much should not be there. 

John gasped, falling back down to his knees, leaning against the wall as he tried to remember what had happened last night. But the more he thought, the less he seemed to remember. He paused, not wanting to have been in this situation at all, but he knew what he had to do. 

John looked over his shoulder and brought his hand back to his ass, his long pale fingers prodding against his hole until the slowly slid in, wrapping around the small cloth. He didn't know if it was a good idea to take whatever it was out, but he for damn sure wasn't going to be keeping it in there. 

He grasped it and pulled it out slowly, biting his lower lip against the odd sensation before it finally came out. He gave a huge sigh of relief and dropped the cloth to the ground, replacing his robes quickly. 

John's eyes trained on the small cloth, seeing the deep red color of blood staining it. Suddenly, he remembered almost everything, making him gasp as he vaulted back against the wall. He had been... and then he... And then /Dave/ had.... He couldn't even form a coherent thought in his confusion, but he immediately felt relieved. 

Dave had done so much for him, from treating his wounds to... putting the cloth up into him to help with the pain and bleeding. He almost wept from how grateful he was, but felt something tugging at his mind... like he was forgetting something... "Oh gosh! Where's Dave?!" He whispered to himself as he stood up. He was still in pain, but it was much better than it had been the previous day. He made his way out into the garden after descending the stairs, looking up at the sky and seeing how early it really was. No one would be up right now, not with the sun just barely coming up over the horizon. He looked around, trying to locate his missing friend. "D-Dave...?" He called out tentatively.

Dave, having been practicing out in the area near the fountain, turned as he heard John call out, dashing toward the source of the cry. Eventually he found John in his robe, looking much better than he had last night. "Hey there John." He said, wiping sweat from his forehead, his tunic unbuttoned, the top of it hanging around his waist, tied there by his sleeves. His wooden sword held loosely in his right hand, the wood dented and scuffed a little. "How did you sleep?" He said, tilting his head and casually checking if John was bleeding still. It looked like the wounds had mostly scabbed over, which was good. But that also meant he couldn't remove the bandages until he had healed completely. Which could take half a month.

He shrugged nervously, taking in Dave's appearance. "You were training- I'm sorry..." He said quietly as he stood there awkwardly. His ankles and wrist burned slightly, but those he could handle. It was his ass that was killing him. Whatever had been inside of him must have been holding back the pain, but he would rather face the pain then have that thing up inside him. He looked up from Dave's wood staff to his shrouded face, giving him a small, appreciative smile. "Um, by the way... Thank you for everything you did-" He shuffled around, embarrassed. "You didn't have to... -but I'm glad that you did." He looked down, his face flushing pink slightly from his embarrassment.

He smiles wide and shakes his head. "It's okay. I was planning on heading inside to steal a bit of breakfast anyway." He said, looking off to the palace, thinking of the figs and cheese he usually got every morning from the cook's daughter, Jade. A very sweet girl, he thought. Her dog Beq followed her everywhere though. 

A huge, friendly, pure white dog who he wasn't entirely sure wasn't a wolf. He seemed to remember her friend whispering something about Jade fancying him. He was a harem slave so the chances of a cook's daughter ending up with him were slim to none. Besides, he didn't really think of her that way. He was just there for the food. 

He turned to John, who had thanked him while he was lost in thought, he replied, trying to shrug it off. "Like I said before, it would be wrong not to help a friend." Dave hefted the sword over his shoulder and walked back toward the tree. "Come on. We should get back inside before anyone wakes up."He said as he returned the sword to it's place in the tree and walked back out, shrugging his tunic back on.

John nodded and followed him through the winding halls of the palace. He was curious as to what their actual rooms looked like, considering he hadn't really been in his yet, but he doubted any of the rooms in the palace could even come close to the beauty of the tree Dave had built. There was just something about how natural it was. It was totally unlike the decadence of the palace. 

He looked over at Dave with a small smile before his stomach started to grumble. He sighed and tugged hesitantly on one of Dave's long sleeves. "Uh...Dave?” He asked. “Can we get food first?" He hadn't eaten since his last master feed him, and that had been almost 32 hours ago.

"Of course. That's where I was headed." He said, gesturing to a beautifully crafted lintel, through which you could smell rather than see the kitchens, which were already started on baking the bread needed for the day. 

"I have someone who I would like to introduce you to." He said as they went through the ornate lintel into a small courtyard, the courtyard filled with every manner of fruit vine, tree, bush, vegetable patches, herb gardens and two goats, a billy and a pregnant ewe who were sleeping in the corner of the courtyard. Dave came up to a wooden door with one window on either side of it, through which you could see the cook, a fellow in his later years with a bit of an overbite and a mustache, put the bread into the oven, doing an odd sort of leaping side-step. 

The reason for this sidestep became apparent as a bushy white tail appeared, followed by a dog, running at Dave full force, knocking him flat on his back and licking at his face, his tail wagging furiously. The dog was followed by a girl, with the same overbite as the cook and long, dark hair. Looking startlingly similar to John now that they were side by side, Jade was a little more pink and had a more healthily curvy shape to her than John who was a bit of a stick-bug.

John looked into the small window cautiously, seeing the man baking the bread for the day. Was this the person Dave wanted him to- "Oh gosh!" He shouted as he backed up from the pouncing dog. His heart pounded in his chest, worried the dog was going to hurt his friend. It seemed friendly enough though, licking Dave's face until his shroud was slightly askew. 

He calmed himself down, taking a couple deep breaths before looking over at the girl that had followed the dog. His eyes widened in mild surprise at just how familiar she looked. She was the spitting image of him, only a girl. He didn't dwell on that thought, biting his lip as he went over to Dave and helped him up. He eyed the girl curiously, but didn't speak, his previous fear of people that he felt when he had fist come here returning full force as he gripped the back of Dave's tunic.

Dave laughed loudly and cries out "Beq! Good to see you too!" He ruffled the dog's fur, the dog bounding away and over to Jade, rubbing his head against her hand, Jade smiles down at Beq, scratching behind his ear. 

"Dave, good to see you!" She grinned and waved rather energetically as Dave stood with the help of John, just in time for Jade to rush up and hug him, nearly knocking him down again. 

Jade pulls away abruptly as she opens her eyes during the hug to stare directly into John's blue eyes. "OH!" She cried as she backed up and nearly tripped over Beq who had been standing right behind her, he yips and trots over to pester John, sniffing at one of the bandages and giving it an exploratory lick, widening his eyes and pawing at his face, whimpering at the remaining clove oil as it now stuck to his tongue and made it go a little numb within seconds. 

Jade, paying no mind to Beq now, looked over at Dave with a mix of curiosity and incredulity. "Who's he, Dave?" She said, smiling a wide, buck-toothed smile and looking up at Dave as she was more than a little bit shorter than him. Dave chuckled at John who had hidden behind him fearfully. "This is John, one of the new slaves." He shuffles to the side, leaving John completely open to Jade and Beq's affections. Jade lit up as he introduced John, rushing toward him and beginning to fuss. "Oh my, look at you! You look positively starved! Come with me dear. Let me get some food in that belly!" She drags John by his forearm, pulling him into the kitchen with Beq following close behind.

John, not used to anyone fussing over him besides Dave, was already fraught with nerves, not ready when Jade pulled on his arm painfully as she dragged him into the house, his scabs and bandages shifting as she did. He whimpered a little, but kept his mouth shut, not out of disrespect like the last time he had remained quiet, but out of uncertainty. 

Dave seemed to trust this girl, and she seemed nice enough, but he just wasn't used to being around people like this. He was used to being beaten and tortured, humiliated and degraded, but never before he had come here had anyone ever treated him like this. First Dave helping him with his wounds, and then Jade, being so nice and positive, offering him food. It was enough to make his head spin, but the most he could do was let Jade half drag him into the small room with Dave and her dog trailing behind. The dog looked less than pleased from licking at his bandages, but it was probably because they were still covered in medicine. He stood there awkwardly, looking to Dave to tell him what to do. 

Jade went up to her father and demanded rather than asked. "Dad! I need some food to feed this starving boy. Get some stew from last night. We have some right?" She said, glancing at a pot that had been carefully set aside. Her father nodded and hefted the heavy iron pot onto the hook above the fireplace in the center of the kitchen. 

Dave followed after Jade, knowing that she was only trying to help but also knowing that John may not be up to the task of being around Jade for very long. Dave saw him look tentatively toward him, obviously uncertain how to react which made Dave wonder how long he had been treated like this. He raised his eyebrows and nodded toward Jade who was in the middle of grabbing a tray of rolls from the oven, using her skirt as insulation against the warmth of the fire. "Oooh. These smell delicious, don't they?" She said, turning to John with a wide smile. "Say! I just realized I don't know your name yet." She said, placing the tray on one of the only clear spots in the kitchen, plucking a roll off the tray and a plate from the shelf above the oven, the plate simple and made of tin, the bottom of the plate a little deeper than most so stew could be eaten in it. She looked at John with curiosity, her green eyes lighting up as she waited for the answer. Dave started to speak but held his tongue as Jade gave him a look that conveyed to him that she wanted to hear it from John, not from Dave.

John looked at her with wide eyes like a spooked animal. His eyes traveled over to Dave then back to Jade with an almost frightened look as he backed up, his flight reaction kicking in from the social pressure. His head was spinning and his heart was racing. What should he do? What should he do!? He was so confused and unsure of himself. He wished he had his hammer with him. Not to use as a weapon, but as some kind of comfort to keep him from losing it entirely. But it was already to late, he was in full panic mode now.   
John felt his back hit the wall behind him, and slowly he slid down it, until he was sitting on the floor, Jade hovering over him. His ass protested from the sitting, but there was nothing he could do about it at the moment anyway. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered them with his hands, curling into a ball. 

Dave looked over to Jade with wide eyes for a moment, rushing over to John and wrapping an arm around him, petting his hair softly. "Shh. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to meet Jade. She's really nice..." He said quietly, shooing Beq away, knowing that would only make John panic more. He looked extremely worried, feeling guilty for thrusting John into this situation when he was already disoriented. He continued petting John's hair, his brow furrowed in worry still. 

Jade seemed utterly ashamed that she had done the exact opposite of what she had been meaning to do which was make John feel comfortable and welcome. Instead she had driven him away. Dave looked over at Jade. "His name is John by the way. He's not feeling so good right now I think...Can we get that stew to-go?" He asked, still wanting to feed John before he had to get back to the harem. The sun was rising steadily and it looked to be about eight in the morning. Dave was usually in the harem by nine but wanted to make sure John was feeling better before he went.

He opened his eyes just as Dave wrapped his arms around him protectively. He was shivering with fear, but it lessened a bit as Dave pet his hair, bringing him down from his panic attack. After Dave whispered some reassuring words into his ear. He felt better, enough so to look up at Jades ashamed face. He felt immediately guilty for having been so scared of her, but in all honesty, he really couldn't help himself.

He looked up at Jade with wide, apologetic eyes and muttered an small; "...I...I'm...Sorry...", ashamed of his own cowardice. He looked back over at Dave and lightly grabbed onto his neck for a small hug before he pushed him away so he could stand. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, his head hanging with shame as he leaned back against the wall. "I'm just not used to people..." He said softly, looking back up at Jade briefly before looking back down to the floor.

Dave backs up as John tries to push him, standing up slowly and half smiling at John. He too looked to Jade apologetically. "I didn't know it was going to be this bad." He said, keeping a hand on John's shoulder. Jade walked up slowly, having gone back into the kitchen to fetch the now warmed up stew, she didn't say anything but she offered the plate of stew which was being held on a cloth pad with Jade's left hand, a spoon held in her right.

John looked at it carefully, unsure whether he should take it after how rude he had just been. He had the feeling Jade didn't like him very much anymore, judging by how silent she was being. Or maybe she was just trying not to scare him. He took the bowl tentatively from her, not even seeing the spoon as he sniffed it. It smelled really good, but he had been poisoned before at his other masters palaces, so he knew to be cautious when eating. He lifted the bowl to his lip, eyeing Jade as he took a small sip. He didn't taste anything lethal in it, and his mouth didn't have the normal burn that would have been there had it been poisoned. So with a wide smile, he tilted the bowl back and chugged the stew down, not even bothering with the spoon. He just wanted to be full and the stew seemed to do just the trick. He lowered the bowl after he was done with it, a wide smile on his face as he handed it back to her. "Thank you..." He said softly, licking up a little bit that had stuck to the corner of his mouth.

Dave watches John, hoping he takes the bowl. He then turned to Jade, a wide smile crossing his and her face as John chugged the stew. Jade giggled happily, her cheeks flushing as John ate. "I'm glad you like it! I made it myself." Dave chuckles at Jade's enthusiasm, standing slowly. "See, John. You can trust her too." He pats Jade's head and earns an elbow to the gut, he grunts but quickly laughs afterward, having already expected that response. He paused to glance up at the sky, knowing he and John would have to go soon. The daily meeting was about to start and he had to be there since he was one of the senior harem slaves.

John smiled tentatively at her and gave Dave a small nod. "I'm... sorry. I was rude." He spoke to Jade, fighting back a hiccup and regretting his choice to wolf down the stew "I'm John..." He offered his hand to Jade who took it in hers with a surprisingly strong grip. "Nice to meet you." He shook her hand gently, pulling away after a moment and turning to Dave, noticing his companion looking up at the sky with concern. "What's wrong, Dave?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as he stepped up to him.

"We have to go. I have to get to the meeting." He said, not really thinking about the fact that John basically has no idea what he's talking about. He walks over to Jade, giving her a hug, crouching down and ruffling Beq's fur too as the big white dog headbutts his calf. "Thank you, Jade. We should be back later." He said, starting to walk through the lintel, looking back at John. "Come on, it's almost nine." He said, pausing briefly to make sure John was coming.

John nodded his head and looked over at Jade, giving her a small wave as he departed with Dave.. He kept pace with him, his legs moving with great effort from the discomfort in his ass, but keeping up all the same. He doubted he would have even been able to move if Dave hadn't helped him. John made a mental note to do his best to be helpful to Dave when he needed it. As he walked with him he began to wonder just what this 'meeting' was all about and he looked over at Dave, his curiosity finally getting the best of him. "Uh... Dave?" He asked, his voice sounding stronger from the stew he had just eaten. "What is this thing about?" 

He looks over at John with an incredulous expression, realizing with a start that John had no idea how the palace was run. "Oh," He replied, trying to figure out the best way to explain it as they approached the harem. "Well...Basically, we come in every day and report any activity that we plan on doing and have done within the past twenty-four hours, we also report any problems we have with any of the other harem slaves." He eyed John from under his shroud. "For example, I am in charge of the newest slaves because I'm a veteran so I know how to teach them." He sighed, knowing that Mistress Peixes, the longest surviving slave and head honcho around the harem would definitely ask questions about John's condition. He hoped that she and her gaggle of the older female slaves like herself wouldn't push the issues too far. He didn't know if he could deal with their usual interrogation today. He may snap at them but he hoped he wouldn't since she would immediately go to the Sultan and rat Dave out as she always did if Dave didn't comply.

There was a reason she had stayed around so long. 

She eliminated the competition.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for bearing with my new-ness to the format of this place. Don't be put off by the archive warnings, they mesh well with the story being told...Or at least I think so.


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